Posts, battens and accessories therefor

ABSTRACT

A post for fencing and other purposes is provided with an opening in one face to facilitate locking engagement of a fastener thereto. The face has an open channel with channel sides formed by adjacent inwardly turned edges to which attachments can be made. The channel sides are serrated and cooperate to provide a series of aligned apertures to which attachments can be secured.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to posts, battens and the like which have anumber of uses, one example being the construction of permanent orsemi-permanent fencing.

BACKGROUND ART

New Zealand Patent No.s 212487, 214830 and 217784 describe elements of afencing system based on a metal post. The fencing system has been soldin New Zealand and elsewhere under the name STAPLELOK™, and hassubstantial advantages when compared with conventional (timber andmetal) post and batten fences.

The STAPLELOK system provides ease of handling, it is fast to erect,versatile and flexible.

In recent times a market has developed for more robust fencing systemsfor horticultural building and security applications, one of therequirements of this market being that the relative movement ofhorizontal fence wires in an installation should be minimised, andincreased torsional strength is also desirable.

One object of the present invention to provide improvements to metalfencing systems which will increase the versatility and strength of thesystems and which will address the above-mentioned needs.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an elongate posthaving on at least one face an opening to which attachments can be made,said opening providing opposed inwardly turned edges and means tofacilitate locking engagement of a fastener member therewith.

The post can be of a substantially rectilinear cross-section.

The inwardly turned edges can be serrated.

The serrated edges can be regular and of a generally saw-toothconfiguration with the tips of each coincident.

The inner faces of the inwardly turned edges at the widest point can beprovided with a surface which is substantially parallel with the said atleast one face.

Posts as aforesaid can be used to support a series of spaced fencewires, the fence wires being secured to the posts by staples driven intothe openings of the posts.

The staples can be two-pronged staples each prong being joined by acommon limb and each staple engaging with a separate part of the openingof said at least one face.

The locating face of said inner edges can be co-planar with the ridge ofthe spike of each staple prong.

The post can be secured to a structure to support a wall lining or suchlike of a building.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provideda method of manufacturing a post as aforesaid comprising the steps offeeding an elongate plate to a roll forming apparatus, serrating sideedges of the elongate plate and shaping the plate into a box-section.

The side edges can be shaped prior to being serrated.

The serration can be achieved by a pair or pairs of complimentarytoothed wheels.

According to yet a further aspect of the present invention there isprovided a post driver comprising an elongate post tube, having an openend and a closed end, a pair of spaced cross-bars fixed to the post tubenear its open and closed ends, a handle comprising a cap and two handgrips which extend from the cap and which are slidingly supported by afirst cross-bar adjacent the closed end of the post tube and fixed tothe cross-bar adjacent the open end and resilient compressible membersextending between the cap and said first cross-bar, the cap being spacedfrom the closed end of the post tube a predetermined distance andcapable of contact closed end of the post tube when the post tube isimpacted on a post.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Aspects of the present invention will now be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a horizontal wire fence using battens/posts andattachment means, and

FIG. 2 is a side view on the front face of a post in accordance with thepresent invention, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-section of the post of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section at the opening of the post of FIG.2, and

FIGS. 5 is a perspective view of a fastener post and wire in accordancewith the present invention, and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-section at the opening of the post of FIG. 2showing a fastener fixed thereto, and

FIGS. 7,8,9,10, and 11 illustrate a method by which the post of FIG. 2can be formed from a flat metal plate, and

FIG. 12 is a side view of a fencing accessory in accordance with afurther aspect of the present invention, and

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the accessory of FIG. 12.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With respect to the drawings and by way of example a simple horizontalwire fence comprises posts generally indicated by arrow 1, intermediatebattens generally indicated by arrow 2, and a plurality of horizontalfence wires 3. The posts 1 are driven into the ground and the battens 2span the fence wires from top to bottom. The fence is erected by drivingthe required number of posts 1 into the ground securing wires 3 to theposts using staples or other means, tensioning the wires and then fixingthe battens 2 at desired intervals.

With respect to FIGS. 2 to 6 of the drawings a post 1 in accordance withthe present invention may have a substantially rectilinear section body4 having a front face 5 with an opening generally indicated by arrow 6therein.

Opposite faces of the body 4 may be of complimentary equal or unequallengths. Each post may be provided with a cap (not shown) which protectsthe tip of the post against impact.

Preferably the body 4 is constructed in metals as aforesaid althoughother materials may be suitable.

The opening 6 is defined by two inwardly turned free edges 7 which areserrated such that tips of the free edges meet or nearly meet at 8 atintervals with sockets 9 being provided between. The front face 5 thuspresents a series of sockets 9 to which fasteners or other attachmentmeans can be secured.

The New Zealand STAPLELOK™ patents previously referred to describe how astaple can be driven into a channel between flanges of posts to securewires or other attachments to the posts.

The opening 6 of the post of the present invention also facilitates theattachment of staples and other accessories in a somewhat similar mannerwith the important exception that the opening 6 is not a channel and thearrangement of the present invention prevents longitudinal movement ofthe staple (movement in a vertical plane when a fence is erected). It isnoted that the inner-most parts 10 of the edges 7 are substantiallyparallel to the front face of the post, and that the sockets 9 are widerthan they are deep.

The staple illustrated (FIGS. 5 and 6) has arms generally indicated byarrow 11 which are generally spear-shaped having a tip part 12,divergent sides 13 which lead to a shoulder 14 where the arm narrows tobe a predetermined width W larger than the width WO of the sockets 9 inthe front face 5 of the post 1.

The post 1 can be formed by roll forming from a flat sheet of materialwith rollers gradually making each bend in the body of the post andforming the serrated free edges 7. At the end of the roll formingprocess the closed edges 7 are near contact at intervals as discussed.

The resilience of metal allows arms 11 of a staple or other fixture tobe driven into the sockets 9 by momentary and localised parting of thefree edges, sufficient to allow the widest part of the shoulder 14 topass through the sockets 9 whereupon shoulders 14 locate in face-to-faceengagement with the innermost parts or end faces 10 on the post 1 asillustrated in FIG 6. In the absence of a forced re-opening of theopening, the matching of the shoulder and end face 10 edge secures thearms 11 against withdrawal. As discussed, the opposing tips 8 of theserrations form closed ends to the sockets 9 which prevent the arms 11sliding on the post. Any twisting of arms 11 also locks the arms furthersecuring against withdrawal.

The post described is considered to have the significant advantages ofbeing more robust than its predecessors and whilst maintaining all ofthe previous advantages, the serrated face allows staples andattachments to be securely fixed and the post configuration provides totorsional and other bending forces which may be imposed on it.

Mentioned earlier was the fact that the posts described may be useful inother applications, for example as studs and noggings to supportwall/ceiling boards or for providing protection and support for ducting,suspended ceilings, pipes, electrical wires.

With respect to FIGS. 7 to 11 of the drawings, the post of the presentinvention can be formed by roll forming apparatus. The roll formingapparatus is not shown in full in the drawings but supports and rollersare shown in broken outline.

In FIGS. 7 to 11, a metal plate 16 is progressively formed into the postpreviously described.

In FIG. 7 the metal plate 16 is presented to supporting roller 17.

Beyond roller 17, the edges 18 of the plate 16 are bent as the platepasses between complimentary rollers 19,20.

Beyond rollers 19,20, the plate 16 passes between complimentary rollers21,22 which have toothed ends 23 and the edges 18 are serrated.

Beyond rollers 21,22 (FIG. 10) the metal plate is formed into thebox-shape indicated by rollers 24,25, intermediate rollers (not shown)and at the finishing point roller 26 which has a thin central fin 27centralises the metal section.

FIGS. 12 and 13 of the drawings illustrate a hand post driver indicatedby arrow 31 which is designed to cushion shock during use. A standarddriver comprises a post tube 32, cross-bars 33 and handles 34, theseelements forming a rigid frame. The present invention modifies thisarrangement by mounting a cap 35 to the handles 34 and interposing coilsprings 36 between the upper cross-bar 33 and the cap 35. A solid plug37 is fixed in the end of post tube 32. There is no connection betweenthe end of the tube 32 adjacent the cap 35 and the handles 34 are freeto slide in top cross-bar 33. When the tube 32 is impacted on a post thepost exerts pressure on the plug 37 and simultaneously the springs areextended cushioning the blow and then almost instantaneously the end ofthe tube 32 is impacted by the cap 35 providing supplementary downwardforce.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of exampleonly and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions maybe made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined inthe appended claims.

The claims defining the invention are:
 1. A fence comprising:a pluralityof elongate posts of substantially rectilinear cross-section, each posthaving on at least one, substantially flat, face an open channel havingtwo parallel channel sides defined by adjacent inwardly turned edges towhich attachments can be made and having opposed serrated faces, eachchannel side terminating at an inner end, said opposed serrated facescooperating to provide a series of aligned apertures with respect towhich attachments can be secured; a series of spaced fence wiressupported by the posts; a plurality of staples securing the fence wiresto the posts, each staple being driven into a pair of adjacent aperturesof its respective post to secure the fence wires to the posts; eachstaple having a first prong and a second prong, each prong being joinedto the other prong by a common limb, said first staple prong of arespective staple engaging with a respective one of said pair ofadjacent apertures of said at least one face and said second stapleprong engaging with the other aperture of said adjacent pair ofapertures; each channel side having a locating end face at said innerend of said channel side, the locating end faces being co-planar witheach other and perpendicular to said channel sides; and each staplehaving a shoulder, the locating end faces of said channel sides beingco-planar and in face to face engagement with the shoulder of eachinserted staple prong.
 2. The fence as claimed in claim 1, whereinserrations extend over an entire length of each opposed face.
 3. Thefence as claimed in claim 2, wherein said serrations are of generallysaw-tooth configuration with each serration having a sharp, pointed tipcoincident with the tip of a serration in the opposed face.
 4. The fenceas claimed in claim 1, wherein each staple prong is generally flat andextends parallel to the other staple prong and perpendicular to thecommon limb, each prong being generally arrow-shaped and having an outerend comprising a single, sharp point, each prong having tapering sideedges projecting from said outer end to said shoulder, the tapering sideedges having a maximum width at said shoulder greater than the width ofsaid aperture, and a reduced width tail portion extending from saidshoulder to said common limb, said reduced width tail portion havingparallel side edges which abut with the respective parallel channelsides.
 5. A fence, comprising:a plurality of elongate posts ofsubstantially rectilinear cross-section, each post having a rear wall, apair of side walls projecting from the rear wall and having front endsup to a front end face of the post, and a front wall extending from thefront ends of the side walls and having a central opening, the frontwall having opposite side portions extending from the respective sidewalls across part of the front end face up to said central opening, eachside portion having an inturned flange of predetermined width extendinginwardly perpendicular to the front end face and spaced from theinturned flange of the other side portion, the inturned flanges beingparallel to one another and having opposing serrated faces, saidserrated faces having serrations extending over the entire length ofeach of said flanges, said serrations being of saw-tooth configurationwith each serration having a sharp-pointed tip coincident with anopposing tip of a serration in the opposing flange to provide a seriesof aligned, spaced apertures along the length of the front end face ofthe post; a series of spaced fence wires supported by the posts; aplurality of staples securing the fence wires to the posts, each staplebeing driven into a pair of adjacent apertures of its respective post tosecure the fence wires to the posts; each staple having a first prongand a second prong, each prong being joined to the other prong by acommon limb, said first staple prong of a respective staple engagingwith a respective one of said pair of adjacent apertures and said secondstaple prong engaging with the other aperture of said pair of apertures;each inturned flange having an inner end comprising a locating end faceoriented co-planar with the locating end face of the other inturnedflange and parallel to the front end face of the post; and each staplehaving a shoulder, the locating end faces of said inturned flanges beingco-planar and in face-to-face engagement with the shoulder of eachinserted staple prong.